Perforated composite bandage

ABSTRACT

A bandage for maintaining a dressing in contact with a wound, which bandage includes a monoplanar sheet of fabric having a straight side edge, and having spaced perforation lines intersecting the side edge at spaced points. A relatively stiff rod is secured to the fabric sheet along the straight side edge and extends from one end of the side edge to the other. The rod has weakening notches spaced therealong at the intersections of the perforation lines with the side edge. A portion of the sheet is covered with an adhesive, which is in turn covered by a removable non-adhesive protective sheet. Between the covered adhesive area and the straight side edge is an adhesive-free area. The sheet of fabric is perforated on opposite sides of each of the perforation lines adjacent the rod so that notches may be provided at this location.

United States Patent 1 1 McCullough 1 51 Dec. 18,1973

1 1 PERFORATED COMPOSITE BANDAGE Gerald W. McCullough, 1038 N. Flood St., Norman, Okla. 73069 [22] Filed: July 19, 1971 [21] App1.No.: 132,482

[76] inventor:

Primurv Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. Yasko Attorney-Dun1ap, Laney, Hessin & Dougherty [57] ABSTRACT A bandage for maintaining a dressing in contact with a wound, which bandage includes a monoplanar sheet of fabric having a straight side edge, and having spaced perforation lines intersecting the side edge at spaced points. A relatively stiff rod is secured to the fabric sheet along the straight side edge and extends from one end of the side edge to the other. The rod has weakening notches spaced therealong at the intersections of the perforation lines with the side edge. A portion of the sheet is covered with an adhesive, which is in turn covered by a removable non-adhesive protective sheet. Between the covered adhesive area and the straight side edge is an adhesive-free area, The sheet of fabric is perforated on opposite sides of each of the perforation lines adjacent the rod so that notches may be provided at this location.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PERFORATED COMPOSITE BANDAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to medical bandages and, more particularly, to a pair of cooperating bandage straps which may be used to retain a dressing in position over a wound.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art In Agemian, US. Pat. No. 3,103,218, there is disclosed a method for mounting a bandage over a wound which includes a pair of straps carrying adhesive along a portion of each strap, and having a pair of rods at the ends of the two straps. The rods are then interconnected by a rubber band wrapped around and over the ends of the two rods carried by the two straps, with the bands bridging across and holding a bandage in place over the wound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a bandage which provides a plurality of interconnected bands formed as a single sheet, with the, bands being severable from each other, and with the sheet carrying a relatively rigid rod along one edge thereof. Theindividual bands within the sheet are separated from each other by lines of perforations which extend across the sheet and intersect the rod at spaced intervals therealong. The rod is notched so that it may be easily severed into increments corresponding in length to the width of each of the individual bands within the sheet. Thus, the sheet provides a readily accessible group of straps each having a relatively rigid rod located at each end thereof.

Each strap is provided with'an adhesive covered portion, with the adhesive being protected by an adhesivefree covering sheet which may be quickly stripped away to expose the adhesive. Between the edge of the adhesive covered portion of eacn band and the location of the rod, there is an adhesive-free portion of each band which can be extended over large dressings without adherance thereto. The rods serve as anchor points for an elastomeric band used to interconnect the straps across the dressing. Small perforations extend from each side of the lines of perforations defining the bands at a location adjacent the rod, and these perforations can be torn to provide notches into which the elastomeric band can be titted when using two bands cooperatively for holding a dressing in the manner described.

It is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved bandage for containing a plurality of bands or straps which can be used for securing dressings in position over a wound in such a way that the dressing can be quickly and easily removed and replaced.

Another object of the invention is to provide an economically manufactured and easily used medical practice accessory which can be used for holding dressings over a wound or incision.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bandage which can be quickly and accurately severed into a plurality of bands which carry adhesive over a portion of the surface thereof, and which carry a rigid anchoring structure at one end of each of the bands to anchor an elastomeric ring when such ring is extended as a link between two of such bands.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of one band derived from the composite bandage, depicted in FIG. 1, preparatory to using two of such bands cooperatively to maintain a dressing in proper position over a wound.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which two of the bands derived from the package depicted' in FIG. 1 are cooperatively utilized for maintaining a dressing in position over a wound.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the composite bandage of the present invention is depicted therein and includes a substantially monoplanar sheet 10 of fabric. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the sheet 10 is of rectangular configuration and includes a longitudinal side edge 12, a second longitudinal side edge 14 and a pair of transverse side edges 16 and 18. The sheet 10 has extending transversely thereacross, a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel perforation lines 20. The perforation lines 20 are such that the sheet 10 may be severed into bands or strips by tearing the sheet along these perforation lines.

At the longitudinal side edge 14 of the sheet 10, the sheet carries in a hem, or by any other suitable means of securement, an elongated, relatively stiff rod 22. The rod 22, which is preferably made of a synthetic resin, is provided along its length with a plurality of longitudinally spaced weakening notches 24,, with the weakening notches being aligned with the perforation lines 20. Stated differently, the weakening notches 24 are located at the points where the perforation lines 20 intersect the longitudinal side edge ,14 of the sheet 10. Immediately adjacent the rod 22, the sheet 10 is provided with several perforations 26 which extend outwardly from, and in a direction normal to, each of the perforation lines 20. The purpose of the perforations 26 will be hereinafter explained.

A portion of the sheet 10 which is spaced from the longitudinal side edge 14 is covered with an adhesive material 30. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the adhesive material 30 covers a rectangular area which is spaced from the longitudinal side edge 14 and separated therefrom by an adhesive-free rectangular area of the sheet 10. The adhesive material 30 is covered by a protective, adhesive-free sheet 32 which can be removed from the adhesive material 30 without impairing the tackiness or adhesive characteristic of the adhesive material. The adhesive-free sheet 32 has a removal flap 34 provided along the edge thereof which is adjacent the adhesive-free area of the sheet 10, and this flap permits the adhesive-free sheet to be easily stripped away and removed from the sheet 10, or from any portion thereof, preparatory to usage of the bandage of the invention. It will be further noted that the adhesive-free sheet 32 has perforation lines 37 therein which are superimposed over overlying portions of the perforation lines 20.

OPERATION AND USE OF THE INVENTION In the utilization of the bandage of the invention, the composite bandage as depicted in FIG. 1 is severed-into a plurality of bands or strips by tearing along one of the perforation lines 20 and breaking the rod 22 at the appropriate weakening notch 24. The arrangement is such that the band which is ultimately derived by tearing along one or more of the perforation lines 20 can be made of a width suited to the particular need. Thus, by tearing along the perforation line 20 which is immediately to the left of the transverse side edge 16, a rela tively narrow band of the sort shown in FIG. 2 is produced. If, on the other hand, the second perforation line 20 to the left of the transverse side edge 16 is the line along which the bandage is severed, a band twice as wide as the band shown in FIG. 2 will be produced. For the purpose of dressing some types of wounds, wider bands will be required than in other instances.

In utilizing the bandage of the invention, two bands of whatever width selected for use are first created by tearing along the appropriate perforation lines 20 in the manner described. Assuming that the narrowest band which can be produced by this operation is to be utilized, the band, when provided by tearing along the perforation line 20, is of the configuration appearing in FIG. 2. After severance of a band, the adhesive-free sheet 32 is removed from sheet by gripping the removal flap 34, and stripping away the adhesive-free sheet. This exposes the adhesive material 30 carried on the surface of the sheet 10 in the rectangular area which is spaced from the longitudinal side edge 14.

After the adhesive material 30 has been exposed in the manner described, notches are torn inwardly into the band immediately adjacent the segment of the rod 22 by tearing along the perforations 26. There are thus provided two slots 38 in the positions shown in FIG. 2. These slots 38 may be described as anchor slots for they perform the function of permitting a bridging ring I of an elastomeric material to be used conjunctively with two of the bands shown in FIG. 2 in retaining a dressing in place over a wound.

This final cooperative arrangement of two of the bands with an elastomeric ring is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Here a rubber band 40 is depicted as it has been looped around the opposed ends of the two segments of rod 22 carried by the two strips or bands derived from the composite'bandage depicted in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the two bands or strips derived from the bandage of FIG. 1 have been positioned on opposite sides of a wound in the forearm of the patient, and have been secured in this position by means of the adhesive material 30 carried on a portion of each of the bands. Before the rubber band 40 has been positioned in the manner illustrated, a suitable dressing, such as a gauze pad 42 of the type depicted in FIG. 4, is placed over a wound and beneath the adhesive-free portions of each strip which is adjacent the rod segment 22 carried along one edge thereof. With the gauze pad 42- bandage shown in FIG. 1, and these bands are then re- I tained in position to firmly hold the gauze pad in place.

At such time as it may be desired to place a clean dressing over the wound, the gauze pad 42 which has been in use may be easily removed by simply removing or lifting the rubber band 40 to permit the end portions of the two strips derived from the bandage of FIG. 1 to be lifted upwardly. A new dressing is then placed in the illustrated position and the rubber band replaced or lowered.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be perceived that the composite bandage which is provided by the invention is an easily used, economically manufactured article which provides a compact, arrangement of numbers of individual bands or strips which can be used for dressing wounds of various sizes and in various locations. The embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 1 is illustrative only, since the bandage of the invention can be made in any size desired, and can be assembled with the perforation lines 20 spaced at varying distances from each other, so that a choice of the width of the strips or bands derived therefrom is available to the physician. It may also be desirable in some instances to make the composite bandage of a configuration other than rectangular. The bandage, as manufactured and provided in the form shown in FIG. 1, can be easily rolled, and a continuing sequence of such bandages can be provided by merely detacheably securing the longitudinal side edges 12 of the composite bandages to those portions of adjacent bandages which surround the relatively rigid rod 22. It may thus be seen from these examples that the bandage of the invention may assume'a number of different forms and geometric configurations. The basic principles which have been identified herein, however, will continue to characterize such bandages, despite departures in geometry from the particular bandage described herein by way of example, and all such modifications and innovations are deemed to be circumscribed by the spirit and scope of the invention, except as the same may be necessarily limited by the appended claims or reasonable equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A dressing assembly for dressing a wound comprisa pair of spaced, elongated bands positioned in end to end relation and each having a pair of notches spaced in-wardly from its end nearest the other band;

adhesive on a portion of each of said bands and spaced from said notches on the side thereof opposite the end of the respective band nearest the other band;

a rod secured to each of said bands on the end thereof nearest the other band and between said end and said notches, each of said rods terminating at two opposed ends located evenly with, or inwardly from, the side edges of each of said elongated bands whereby said rods are not exposed laterally outwardly of the respective band on which they are located; and

an elastomeric ring passed around the ends of said rods and into said notches to interconnect said bands.

2. A composite bandage assembly selectively divisible into a plurality of bandage strap elements, said composite bandage assembly comprising:

a monoplanar, substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material perforated by a plurality of spaced,

parallel perforation lines extending across the sheet from one side edge thereof to another side edge and each intersecting said other side edge at substantially a right angle;

a rod secured to said sheet along said other side edge, said rod having spaced weakening notches therein coincident with the points of intersection of said perforation lines with said other side edge whereby said rod may be manually broken at a selected notch, and said sheet manually torn along the respective aligned perforation line to subdivide said sheet into a plurality of bandage strap elements of selective size, said rod having a length not greater than the length of said other side edge, and having its opposite end portions covered by said sheet;

additional perforations extending from opposite side edges of each of said perforation lines in a direction substantially normal to the respective perforation line and immediately inwardly in said sheet from said rod to facilitate slotting the sheet with anchor slots adjacent and parallel to the rod in each bandage strap element subdivided from the sheet; and adhesive on a portion of the sheet spaced from said side edge and crossed by all of said perforation lines.

3. A composite bandage assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said adhesive is configured as a rectangular band spaced from said first mentioned side edge and separated therefrom by a rectangular area of said sheet.

4. A bandage as defined in claim 2 and further characterized as including an adhesive-free covering sheet covering the adhesive on said first-mentioned sheet, and having a removal flap facilitating removal of the adhesive-free covering sheet from said first-mentioned sheet, said adhesive-free sheet having spaced perforation lines therein, each coinciding with, and overlying, a portion of one of said perforation lines of said firstmentioned sheet. 

1. A dressing assembly for dressing a wound comprising: a pair of spaced, elongated bands positioned in end to end relation and each having a pair of notches spaced in-wardly from its end nearest the other band; adhesive on a portion of each of said bands and spaced from said notches on the side thereof opposite the end of the respective band nearest the other band; a rod secured to each of said bands on the end thereof nearest the other band and between said end and said notches, each of said rods terminating at two opposed ends located evenly with, or inwardly from, the side edges of each of said elongated bands whereby said rods are not exposed laterally outwardly of the respective band on which they are located; and an elastomeric ring passed around the ends of said rods and into said notches to interconnect said bands.
 2. A composite bandage assembly selectively divisible into a plurality of bandage strap elements, said composite bandage assembly comprising: a monoplanar, substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material perforated by a plurality of spaced, parallel perforation lines extending across the sheet from one side edge thereof to another side edge and each intersecting said other side edge at substantially a right angle; a rod secured to said sheet along said other side edge, said rod having spaced weakening notches therein coincident with the points of intersection of said perforation lines with said other side edge whereby said rod may be manually broken at a selected notch, and said sheet manually torn along the respective aligned perforation line to subdivide said sheet into a plurality of bandage strap elements of selective size, said rod having a length not greater than the length of said other side edge, and having its opposite end portions covered by said sheet; additional perforations extending from opposite side edges of each of said perforation lines in a direction substantially normal to the respective perforation line and immediately inwardly in said sheet from said rod to facilitate slotting the sheet with anchor slots adjacent and parallel to the rod in each bandage strap element subdivided from the sheet; and adhesive on a portion of the sheet spaced from said side edge and crossed by all of said perforation lines.
 3. A composite bandage assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said adhesive is configured as a rectangular band spaced from said first mentioned side edge and separated therefrom by a rectangular area of said sheet.
 4. A bandage as defined in claim 2 and further chaRacterized as including an adhesive-free covering sheet covering the adhesive on said first-mentioned sheet, and having a removal flap facilitating removal of the adhesive-free covering sheet from said first-mentioned sheet, said adhesive-free sheet having spaced perforation lines therein, each coinciding with, and overlying, a portion of one of said perforation lines of said first-mentioned sheet. 